


Strengths and Weaknesses

by anonony



Series: Seducing A Hot Alien Prince 101 [12]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Depression, Homesickness, Hurt/Comfort, Langst, M/M, but with lancelot so, is different, pretty typical langst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-03-08 11:45:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13457565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anonony/pseuds/anonony
Summary: Lance misses his and Lotor's third date, and Lotor wants to know why.





	Strengths and Weaknesses

**Author's Note:**

> so this is the short cutesy shmultzy hurt/comfort part of the series. It didnt really fit with smut so I didn't include any--this time. I think the next oneshot's gonna be like, nearly pure smut to make up for it. But hey, cutesy Lancelot.

“Lance?” Lotor knocked on his door. He rarely came to this section of the ship unaccompanied. This is where all the paladins (and Matt) slept, and he was well aware of their distaste for him, so he kept distance, unless Lance was with him. “Lance, the computer says you’re in here.”

He heard a shifting behind the door, but Lance did not appear as he expected. Lance was supposed to meet him for their third date, a “picnic” down in the hangars, looking out at the stars from the hangar windows. Lance had, however, not arrived, which was incredibly odd. 

Finally Lotor’s heightened sense of hearing picked up Lance saying “’m not feeling well.”

Lotor tensed, “Lance, if you’re ill, you should get into a healing pod. Can you move? Do you need me to carry you?”

“NO!” Lance shouted at him through the door. “Just…I’m just…” Lance groaned into what was presumably his pillow. “Just leave me be…”

The words stung. Lotor hung his head and stepped back, knowing that by Lance’s standards, the request was a finite argument that could not be argued further. Even if it hurt.

Lotor was prepared to turn around when he heard a strangled sob. He paused and kept listening, practically putting his ear to the door. There was no doubt about it, Lance was crying. “I’ll be right back,” Lotor said.

Lotor had been watching the paladins for quite a while, and knew that the standard comfort item was food, not to mention he’d need water to replenish liquids. He made it to the kitchen to grab a simple plate of goo and get water, and then rush back. 

In the kitchen, however, he unexpectedly ran into Hunk. “Oh,” Hunk said, “Hey, man,” as he went back to his cooking. “Feelin’ snacky?”

“Yes,” Lotor said, not breaking his trained mask, “That’s exactly how I would have phrased it." 

Hunk chuckled, and Lotor got to filling his plate. He didn’t want Hunk to know about Lance. Then again…Hunk was Lance’s ‘best friend'. Perhaps he’d have some insight. “Paladin,” Lotor said, getting Hunk’s attention again, “I’ve been reading about human rituals, and was wondering if you could clear something up for me.”

Hunk frowned, raising an eyebrow, “Uhh…sure? I guess?”

Lotor nodded, then thought about how he was going to phrase this. “When one human is particularly upset, what’s the standard protocol of relieving their discomfort?”

Hunk’s frown furrowed. “Are you…asking how to comfort someone?”

“I’m simply asking how one would, hypothetically,” Lotor said, still not willing to give up Lance’s part in his question, though by the way Hunk was looking at him, he may have figured it out. 

Hunk took a deep sigh, “Well, uh, it’s different for everyone I guess,” He said, “I mean, some typical methods are, ya know, hugging, reassurances, trying to get them to smile and laugh…” Lotor nodded, thinking. “But really, a lot of times what it comes down to is allowing them to talk it out, and not making them feel bad for the way they…feel. I mean, reassuring them yeah, but just, not making them feel worse? Does that make sense?”

Lotor bit the inside of his mouth, thinking. “Some,” he said, “Thank you, paladin, you were most…informative.”

 

Lotor collected the food and water and made his way back to the paladins quarters. “Lance?” he called into his room again, “I have food. And water. You need to eat something.” There was no response. “Alright, I’ll leave the dish here, you can get it when you’re ready, alright?"

“Wait,” he heard a croaky voice coming through. He stood still, waiting patiently. Finally, the door opened, showing Lance in his pajamas, head bowed so Lotor couldn’t see his face. He took the dish and the water and walked back in his room, leaving the door open. Lotor stepped in after him.

Lance put the food on a side table. “I’m…not really hungry. Thanks though.” He collapsed back onto the bed.

Lotor wasn’t entirely sure what to do here, so he just decided to sit on the edge of the bed beside Lance. His hair was a sleepy mess. Lotor tried to comb it out with his fingers. Lance hummed at the feeling. “You realize you’re the one who’s usually telling me to be more open and honest.” The humming turned into a groan. “Kit. Please tell me what’s wrong.”

Lance groaned again, shuffling in his bed to sit up. “Nothing,” he said. Lotor took a deep breath. “No, really, there’s…I mean, there’s nothing really wrong, nothing causing this...I’m just. Thinking.” 

Lotor pet his hair more. “About?”

Lance sniffed. He barely opened his mouth to say, “Home.” He sniffed more, and before Lotor knew it he was crying again.

Remembering Hunk’s words, he quickly collected Lance up into his arms and held him, cradling his head to his chest. “Shhh,” Lotor urged, “It’s alright. It’s alright, you’re okay.”

Lance buried his face into Lotor’s shirt. Lotor flinched just slightly at the tears and snot getting on it, but he could always wash it. “So—Sorry,” Lance sobbed.

“For what?”

“I—I ruined our date,” Lance said, “and now I’m just cr—crying, and I c-can’t—“

He started blubbering as Lotor held him closer, “Shhh,” he said, “don’t worry about it.”

“But I—“

“Lance,” Lotor brushed his hair back, “just tell me what’s wrong, you don’t have to feel guilty.”

Lance sniffs, gripping Lotor’s shirt a little tighter. “It’s just…I just miss my family. I was thinking about…about how they probably think I’m dead and I…I never even got to say goodbye and…” He rubbed his eyes. “Just… a lot of classic loneliness thoughts. I’m sure it sounds silly to you.”

Lotor gave him a little squeeze. “I told you that you don’t need to be guilty,” he said, “I…may not relate, especially on ‘missing family’ aspect,” Lotor thought back to his father for a moment, “but I think I at least…understand.” 

Lance nodded against him. “I just…It’s wonderful being out here with you and my friends and meeting all these great new aliens…but I feel like I don’t…belong out here.”

“What do you mean?”

Lance took a deep breath. 

And the floodgates opened. He told Lotor about how he felt inferior to the other paladins and how he felt all his contributions were so much less, that he wasn’t as good a pilot, a fighter, wasn’t as smart, just…lucky more than anything else.

Lotor frowned subtly, listening to Lance ramble from one thing to another, spilling his proverbial guts out. 

Lance petered out into gentle sobs as Lotor held him. Lotor thought, trying to think of the best way to start. Hunk had said not to make him feel bad about the way he felt, but the way Lance felt was so…so… “Stupid…”

“Huh?” Lance said, looking up.

“I’m sorry,” Lotor said, “You’re not…you’re not stupid, you’re just…wrong? No, that’s not right either…” Look, it was his first time ever trying to comfort someone, it was harder than it looked. “What I mean is, I just…I see everything you’re saying…differently.” He took a deep breath, “First off, you are smart. Maybe you can’t build robots like Pidge, but I see you, going into negotiations. You have a the charisma of a diplomat, and you manage to get people to actually like you. As someone who’s made a career of that, it can be harder than it looks. 

“Second, you are a wonderful pilot, and a great fighter. Those skills are hard to measure against someone else in battle, but you’ve survived, which is the only real test. Beyond that, you have a masterful eye and a tacticians’ insight. I say that as a master tactician myself, and as someone who has personally faced you in battle.”

Lance managed a snort at that, sitting up to rest his head on Lotor’s shoulder. “I take it you don’t get these sort of self esteem problems?”

“Lance, I have been called many things in my life,” Lotor said, “’Humble’ has never been one of them.” Lance snorted again. “And that’s the other thing…” Lotor cupped Lance’s chin in his hand and lifted his head until Lance looked him in the eye. “Somehow, and I still haven’t figured out how, you are the first and only person who has truly managed to win my heart.”

Lance blushed and turned his head to hide into Lotor’s shoulder, muttering something. “What?” Lotor asked.

“Stop being smooth,” Lance said, turning just enough to let his mouth free, “You’re making it hard to be sad.”

Lotor kissed the top of Lance’s head. “I can’t help it. You bring it out of me.” Lance groaned into his shirt, and Lotor couldn’t hold in a chuckle. 

The moment quieted as Lotor buried his nose in Lance’s hair. Land hugged him, rubbing away the last of his tears. “I’m afraid I don’t have a solution to missing your family, though.”

He was worried saying it might make Lance upset, but instead he only sighed. “It’s okay. Just talking about it and…you know, cuddling helped.” 

Lotor kissed him again. “If…you don’t mind me asking, then…why did you hide from me?”

Lance raised an eyebrow, “You’re going to criticize me for holding back on emotions?”

Lotor shrugged. “Well, I thought that was my move. Hence why it was confusing when you were doing it.”

Lance sighed, leaning into him. “Well, I mean, it’s not just your move. But. I don’t know. I know you are always wary about, like, showing weaknesses and stuff. So, I just…didn’t want you to see me like this…”

Lotor frowned. “Lance, when we started this, you told me you wanted supporting one another to be a core part of our relationship.”

Lance shrugged. “I know.” He swallowed, “But…I dunno, it still. It’s still something I was worried about.”

Lotor took a deep breath. “I could never think you were weak,” Lotor said, “Not anymore. Not when I’ve seen how strong you are, tears and all.” Lotor brushed Lance’s face with his thumb, wiping away any remnants of tears. “I have my own hangups on strengths vs weakness, perhaps, but you? You’re a blend of it all together. And it’s…beautiful.” He kissed his cheek. “You’re beautiful.”

Lance rolled his eyes, “Who would have thought you were actually the Prince of being mushy this whole time.”

Lotor smirked. “Don’t let it get out. I have a reputation to maintain.” 

Lance snorted, pulling Lotor down for a kiss. 

 

Hunk leaned against the wall. He didn’t mean to snoop on his friends but—oh who was he kidding, this was the guy who read Pidge’s journal, of course he meant it. 

But he had good intentions! Lotor, for all his skills in lying, couldn’t hide that it was definitely Lance who was upset, and he wanted to check in to make sure he was handling it okay, and was ready to jump in if not. Honestly he was expecting the latter scenario. 

But hey, Lotor pulled through, it seemed. Hunk had not liked this whole relationship from the beginning, but…Lotor seemed to…genuinely care about Lance. And Lance seemed to be happy with him. 

As Lance’s best friend, he supposed that was all he could ask for. 

He heard Lance give a low moan, and Hunk jumped away from the wall, walking off down the corridor. He may have given his tentative approval, but that didn’t mean he wanted to hear anything more than that.


End file.
